CLARKSVILLE — Clarksville activities director Michael Banning knows he is going to miss the muggy summer workouts, afternoons in the weight room and Friday nights on Metheny Field as the Panthers head football coach.

He also knows his involvement with the team hardly ended when he took the activities director position on Jan. 29.

“There’s no doubt I’m going to miss coaching,” Banning said. “But you don’t do this for so long and not have strong feelings toward coaching. But I still have a part to play in that and now it’s not just in football. I’m really looking forward to that.

“After 15 years as the Panthers head football coach I felt like it was time for change. This was a great opportunity.”

Banning’s promotion left a vacancy at head coach which was filled by Russellville native Eli Cranor on Wednesday in a special meeting of the Clarksville School Board.

Clarksville officials began searching for a new head coach on Feb. 3, but when they began the interview process with Cranor it quickly became evident that he was their man.

“Cranor is a young man that has a lot of energy and I think that’s the one thing that strikes you about him right off the bat,” Banning, who compiled a 64-100 overall record at CHS, said. “He came to the meeting Wednesday and met with the board, met with the other coaches, met with some dads and some players that were at the meeting.

“Today, he’s done multiple radio interviews, met with media and met with each group of our athletes in basketball and football. As we speak, he’s out there leading the offseason in practice gear and whistle.”

Cranor is the former Russellville Cyclones and Ouachita Baptist quarterback and current Arkadelphia Badgers offensive coordinator. Cranor, who has been offensive coordinator since 2012, will be released from his contract with Arkadelphia in two weeks.

The Panthers football team is taking to him already, Banning said.

“They [players] jumped right after it,” Banning said. “They’re excited about the new opportunity, about making first impressions and Cranor’s energy is contagious.”

For Cranor, the draw is both helping the Panthers build on their football program and returning to an area he described as “near and dear.”

“I grew up in Russellville,” Cranor said. “And as soon as Clarksville came open, and I started the interview process, I was amazed with the people in Clarksville. As the process kept going, each step and every phone call I made, the people were so professional and so sincere so that was immediately very, very attractive.”

Clarksville’s football program has only won four games since moving into the 5A-West Conference in 2012. Cranor said despite the losing streak, the Panthers football team was excited about football and the upcoming season.

“That’s because of coach Banning and that whole staff,” Cranor said. “They’ve done a really good job and those boys are excited about football. They’ve laid that foundation. Of course, there are going to be challenges.”

Cranor said that he pulled inspiration for overcoming challenges from something his former head coach at Ouachita Baptist told him.

“He would always remind us to enjoy the challenge,” Cranor said. “If this is something that’s your passion, enjoy it. That’s the slogan I’m bringing to this program. ‘1,440 minutes < me’. There are 1,440 minutes in the day and the ‘greater-than me’ reminds us to put the team above ourselves. It’s sort of the Carpe Diem of football.”

Cranor’s football career

Cranor broke the single-season passing and total offense record for Ouachita Baptist in 2010 with 204-of-338 completions for 2,570 yards and 14 touchdowns. Cranor rushed for an additional 513 yards and 10 touchdowns.